Encinitas to study mayoral pay

City takes no position on medical marijuana initiative

The Encinitas City Council asked the city clerk Wednesday night to research what other cities pay their elected mayors, saying there is an argument both in favor and against granting the mayor a higher salary in late 2014.

In November 2014, Encinitas voters will be directly electing the city’s mayor for the first time after years of rotating the job between the five council members. Under the current system, the mayor makes the same salary as any council member --- $1,186 a month.

At Wednesday night’s special election issues meeting, Councilwoman Lisa Shaffer said she saw no reason to raise the mayor’s salary when the city shifts to an elected mayor system next year.

“None of us is doing it for the money, (so) I don’t see a need to provide extra salary,” she said, adding that Encinitas should simply make certain it has enough money in its expense fund to reimburse the future mayor for city-related business expenses.

Councilman Tony Kranz said he thought there was ample justification for paying an elected mayor more than the four council members because “a good mayor” puts in significantly more hours on the job.

During Wednesday discussion, council members also said they may temporarily restructure one council seat, giving it a two-year term in 2016 in order to accommodate the shift to an elected mayor system.

As it stands now, voters will elect a two-year mayor and a four-year council member in 2014. Then in 2016, they will be voting on the mayor again, plus selecting three, four-year council members.

It would be better if one of those three council seats in 2016 was for a two-year term, so eventually the council would end up with two four-year council seats and one two-year mayor’s spot on the ballot every two years, they said.

City Clerk Kathy Hollywood said she would provide some options for doing this at a later council meeting.

The mayor’s post is just one of many Encinitas items that are expected to appear on the 2014 general election ballot. A citizens’ group initiative that would allow medical marijuana clinics to open in Encinitas has qualified for the ballot, and city officials are expecting to put several growth-related items on the ballot, including a citywide housing plan. On Wednesday night, council members said they might also ask voters what the city should do with the old fire station 2 property. The MacKinnon Avenue property is now zoning for public services and can’t be used for housing.

The council declined to take a position Wednesday on the medical marijuana initiative; directed city staff members to look into revising the city’s campaign finance regulations; and agreed that the city’s campaign sign ordinance needs to be rewritten in order to comply with state laws.

Councilman Mark Muir had asked the council to take a stand one way or another on the medical marijuana item, but none of the other council members seconded his proposal.

Shaffer said she didn’t think the council was required to take a position on the issue, and City Attorney Glenn Sabine confirmed this.